A NASA-developed breathing

system for firefighters exemplifies

the benefit potential of aerospace

technology transfer

Firefighting and fire prevention are

areas of activity that seem to be espe-

cially productive of aerospace spinoffs.

In recent years, for example, aerospace

technology has been beneficially trans-

ferred to such civil-use applications as a

portable firefighting module; protective

outergarments for workers in hazardous

environments; a broad range of fire-

retardant paints and foams; fireblocking

ablative coatings for outdoor structures;

and a number of types of flame resis-

tant fabrics for use in the home, office,

or in public transportation vehicles.

Perhaps the broadest fire-related

technology transfer is the breathing ap-

paratus worn by firefighters for protec-

tion from smoke inhalation injury.

Breathing equipment widely used

throughout the United States is based

on a NASA development of the 1970s

that coupled NASA's design expertise

and lightweight materials developed

for the U.S. space program. That

project was the first concerted effort to

improve firefighter breathing systems,

which had not changed appreciably

since the World War II era.

It started in 1971 in response to a

need expressed by many of the nation's

fire chiefs. The traditional breathing

system was heavy, cumbersome, mobil-

ity-restricting and so physically taxing

that it often induced extreme fatigue.

Many firefighters preferred not to use

the equipment, electing to take their

chances of being overcome by smoke

rather than risk collapse from heat and

exhaustion. As a result, smoke inhala-

tion injuries were on the rise.

In cooperation with the Fire Tech-

nology Division of the National Bureau

_)f Standards, NASA established a public

interest technology utilization project

under the direction of Johnson Space

Center (JSC). JSC embarked on a

multiyear design and development ef-

fort centered on application of technol-

ogy developed for portable life support

systems used by Apollo astronauts on

the moon. Specifications were drawn.

from input provided by a User Require-

ments Committee made up of fire

chiefs and city managers. In addition,

such fire service organizations as the

National Fire Protection Association,

the International Association of Fire

Fighters and the International Associa-

tion of Fire Chiefs periodically re-

viewed the program. Two companies--

Martin Marietta Corporation and Struc-

tural Composites Industries, Inc.--

were awarded contracts to build light-

weight air cylinders patterned on tech-

nology originally developed for rocket

motor casings. Scott Aviation, Lancaster,

New York, received the contract to

build the other components of the

breathing apparatus. JSC conducted its

own extensive testing of the new sys-

tem and this was followed by a series

of field tests--in 1974-75--by the fire

departments of New York (the nation's

largest), Houston and Los Angeles.

What emerged from the four year

development effort was a breathing sys-

tem weighing slightly more than 20

pounds, about one-third less than

predecessor systems, with a reduced

profile design intended to improve the

mobility of the wearer. The system in-

cluded a face mask, frame and harness,

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a warning device and the air bottle

with its associated valves and regulator.

The basic air cylinder offered the same

30-minute operating time as predeces-

sor systems, but it was lighter and slim-

mer; this was accomplished by using

aluminum/composite materials and by

pressurizing the cylinders at 4,500

pounds per square inch, roughly twice

that of earlier tanks. NASA also pro-

vided an optional 45-minute duration

special use cylinder that was still within

the allowable weight. The frame and

harness was made easier to put on and

take off and the system's weight was

shifted from shoulders to hips to im-

prove wearer comfort. The new face

mask offered better visibility and closer

fit, and the air depletion warning de-

vice was designed so that the beeping

alarm could be heard only by the

wearer, to minimize confusion in the

hectic environment of a fire scene.

It was a major improvement in

firefighting equipment, no question,"

says Chief James Manahan of the New

York City Fire Department's Safety

Operating Battalion. He qualifies as a

leading expert on breathing apparatus.

A veteran of 29 years service, he has

worn both the old and new systems in

actual firefighting operations. As a cap-

rain with Squad Company Four, he was

project officer for the NYFD participa-tion in the 1974-75 field tests. And in

his current work with the safety battal-

ion, part of his job is observing the use

of breathing systems at fire scenes and

looking for problems that may crop up

in breathing system operation and

maintenance. "The NASA technology

definitely made a contribution toward

reducing firefighter fatigue."

(Continued)

At left, the firefighters are wearing a protectivebreathing system designed and developed byNASA'sJohnson Space Center (JSC). Theprojectadapted materials and technology from thespace program to a national need for lighter,less bulky breathing apparatus. Shown above isthe originalJSC design, which served as a depar-ture point for new systems developed by majormanufacturers offi'refighting equipment.

51

PA E

FIR E D E PAR T M E N T (continued)

At a fire in a New York City oj_°ce building,

NYFD firefighters group in the lobby awaiting

assignment (above), their breathing apparatus

stacked for use if needed. It was--the upper floor

electrical fire generated much smoke. At right,

one firefighter helps another adjust his breathing

system.

At his office on Randall's Island, New

York, safety battalion Chief James

Manahan compared the modern

firefighter's breathing apparatus, based

on NASA technology, with pre-NASA

equipment.

"This one," he said, tapping a metal

case containing the old system, "was

heavy, bulky, had narrow eye pieces

and the weight pulled down on the

shoulders. When you wore that thing

for 15 minutes, you couldn't wait to getout of it. And this"--he indicated an

adjacent case--"is the current system

we use, with a smaller, lighter air cylin-

der, better mask and harness." Aside

from the lighter weight, firefighters

consider the waist-mounted harness a and office furniture has increased the

big plus; it shifted the weight from

shoulders to hips, provided better

weight distribution and therefore

makes the pack seem lighter than it is.

Has the NASA technology met the

original objective of inspiring greater

use of breathing systems? Firefighters

are generally more hazard-aware today,

Chief Manahan said, because greatly

expanded use of exotic chemicals, plas-

tics and other synthetics in industrial

operations, building materials, home

incidence of toxic fume generation in

fires. There is greater readiness to use

protective gear, and no doubt the avail-

ability of a more comfortable breathing

system contributed to that attitude.

After completion of the field tests a

decade ago, the New York City Fire

Department became one of the first of

the nation's fire services to adopt the

new technology on an operational ba-

sis. Use of the lightweight apparatus

spread quickly across the country as

producers of firefighting equipment

used the NASA technology as a depar-

ture point for their own development

of new breathing systems. Each com-

52

A NYFDfirefighter is disposing of hazardous ma-

terial, protected by a "hazmat" suit. In Level

One work, where the material is known or sus-

pected to generate toxic fumes, the breathing

apparatus is worn under the hazmat outer gear

pany made its own modifications and

refinements to the original design, and

new features are continually being

added, but today every major manufac-

turer of breathing apparatus is produc-

ing units that incorporate the NASA

technology in some form."The existence of these units offers

the fire services a wide variety of

breathing systems that would not have

been available without NASA's efforts,"

says J. Tom Smith, Firefighter Health

and Safety Specialist of the U.S. FireAdministration. "As a result of the in-

troduction of lightweight breathing sys-

tems, inhalation injuries to firefighters

have been drastically reduced." •

iii ................ iiiii_i_....... !

At the NYFD Randall's Island training facility,

firefighters undergo "mask confidence training, "

carrying out such fire operations as hosing

(above) and probing building interiors (right),

squeezing through narrow areas as might be

necessary in a real jSre with their breathing units

attached and (below) momentarily detached.

The NASA-developed breathing system was

designed with reduced profile wherever possible

to improve mobility in tight confines.

53